Ichar School in the Zanskar Valley, Jammu Kashmir, India

Ichar is a small isolated village situated in the heart of the Zanskar valley.  Whilst a motorable track has recently opened connecting Ichar to Padum it is vulnerable to landslides and snow and is only passable for about 4 or 5 months of the year.  In winter the community has to be completely self sufficient with dried dung providing the main fuel for cooking and heating.  The Government School in Ichar caters for about 60 students from the village and the nearby settlements.  The school students range from kindergarten age to about 15 years old with a 2:1 ratio of girls to boys.  The school has to close for the winter due to the extreme cold and re-opens at the end of May.

The school buildings are well founded and the staff are determined to improve educational standards but they are short of every resource western schools take for granted. Additionally the village children need basic support in terms of clothing suitable for the harsh environment. 

In 2010 the Juniper Trust donated over £1,000 which was used to purchase and, after an arduous journey in June, delivered 84 pairs of sturdy childrens shoes, 200+ notebooks, pens, pencils, solar powered calculators, a range on other stationery and educational supplies.  The delivery also included games equipment for netball, cricket and football as well as some individual gifts for the children. 

The Juniper Trust wish to provide ongoing support to the school and to assist the villagers to develop facilities generating an income from adventurous trekkers enjoying the beauty of Zanskar.  Donations to this ongoing project would be welcomed.